Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon at Northrop Grumman Corp.

Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), right, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, shakes hands with Fred Stewart after speaking to employees at the Northrop plant in Palmdale on Monday.

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), right, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, shakes hands with Fred Stewart after speaking to employees at the Northrop plant in Palmdale on Monday.